Patch 0.9.7 - MASSIVE update (I'm back)

General

• Upgraded to Unreal 4.21.1
• Redesigned entire HUD with customizable colors
• Replaced all existing asteroids and debris with new meshes and textures (more varied and realistic)
• Mission load-times reduced significantly
• Added color-themes that affect the entire HUD and some menus
• 4K displays are now properly supported (HUD-resolution scales up/down accordingly)
• Desktop resolution is now used by default on first startup

Gameplay

• Created a new objective-system that displays major and minor objectives (and their progress) on the HUD
• Relative movement is now shown in the center of the HUD with a colorized moving reticle
• Added several more objectives to each mission
• Rebalanced all missions and updated difficulty levels
• Damaged frigates now display accurate hull-damage
• Players are now warned as they near the edge of the playable area
• Health-icons are now shown near hangar-bays
• Squad-members now arrange in a dynamically adjusted formation behind the squad-leader
• Increased squad-member spacing to greatly reduce the chance of ship-collisions

HUD

• Redesigned entire HUD for a more realistic look and greater practicality
• Reticles now fade and change size to reduce on-screen clutter
• Dotted lines are now drawn to leading reticles
• Reticles are now shown for missiles and mines
• Created a new radar-ball that shows the relative location of targets more clearly (can be zoomed in/out via CTRL+mouse wheel)
• Reticles are now rendered using the custom depth buffer
• Replaced existing 2D-billboards with a new 3D-billboard system (works better with VR)
• Radio-icons are now colorized based on friendly/hostile origin
• Opponents of different types are now displayed with different reticle-shapes
• Created a new instrument-system that allows for each instrument to operate independently (significantly increases overall cockpit performance)
• On-screen status messages are now more user-friendly (cryptic opponent codes no longer used)
• Distance and relative motion to target are now displayed on the target-panel in a single readout

Graphics

• Tracers are now rendered using a new technique that takes into account both absolute and relative movement (much more realistic appearance)
• Projectile-impact flashes and light-beacons are now rendered using a sphere instead of a 2D-billboard (improves impact visibility)
• Lasers are now rendered using a 3D-mesh instead of a particle-system

Scenery

• Rearranged asteroids and debris in all missions (very tedious)
• Created a new debris-system that allows for larger moveable fragments and raining debris (seen in some missions like Firefight)
• Created icy asteroids and debris for "cold" levels
• Created destructible, glowing embers for "fiery" levels

UI

• Added live scenery behind main-menu (dropships and fighters attack each other)
• Cursor is now controllable in VR and non-VR modes by all controllers
• Hardware cursor is no longer used (blue/flashy cursor now used in all modes)
• Stats in various menus are now colorized to indicate "good" or "bad" numbers
• Stylized AK and Doomsday logos
• Mission-buttons are now disabled on locked missions (lock-icons are no longer shown)
• Last played mission (or next campaign mission) is now displayed by default in the Missions menu
• Updated all mission splashes and descriptions

AI

• AI is now capable of targeting frigates (if they have any weapons that can damage them)
• AI now detect missiles and mines (and share the information to teammates)

Input

• Modifier keys can now be used when creating key-mappings (ctrl, alt, shift, etc.)

Audio

• Increased radius of debris-explosion sounds
• Master volume is now limited to a minimum of 5%
• Added new "super laser" muzzle-sound (more intimidating)

Bugs

• Fixed issue with game-over menu not displaying in rare cases (spectator-camera would become misaligned if target was destroyed)
• Current resolution is now correctly shown in the Graphics menu
• Fixed null-spawn warning that occurred when missiles were fired
• Fixed some preset resolution-strings with incorrect characters
• Eliminated invalid-object-type warning
• Fixed issue with laser-beams becoming misaligned with ship